Limitations of Human Understanding in Biblical Hermeneutics
Human understanding of divine matters is inherently limited, a concept reflected throughout biblical texts and theological traditions. The very name "Gebal" means "bound" or "limit," suggesting an ancient recognition of boundaries [1]. Scripture itself poses the question, "Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?" (Job 11:7) [3]. Similarly, Ecclesiastes states that "Whatever is—it is far beyond comprehension. Who can discover it?" (Ecclesiastes 7:24) [4].
This limitation is particularly evident when considering attributes of God such as His foreknowledge. While the Bible affirms God's infinite knowledge (1 Samuel 23:9-13; Jeremiah 38:17-23; Acts 15:18), the full import of this attribute remains beyond human comprehension [2]. The finite creature cannot fully grasp the infinite wisdom of the Creator [8]. Even seemingly perfect human understanding has its limits, as humans cannot fully understand God’s ways (Ecclesiastes 3:11) [5].
The Bible often employs anthropomorphism and anthropopathism—assigning human characteristics or emotions to God—to make divine concepts more accessible to the human mind [7]. This is not because God is limited, but because it helps humans grasp His ways on a relatable level [7]. For example, God is described as "testing" or "proving" character, not because He lacks knowledge of what is in a heart, but to allow that character to manifest in actions [7].
The difficulty in understanding divine revelation can sometimes be profound, as illustrated by Isaiah 28:13, where the Hebrew text is noted as difficult to understand. This difficulty might intentionally reflect the spiritual blindness of the people, for whom God's clear revelation seemed like nonsense [6].
Despite these limitations, the Bible also emphasizes the importance of seeking understanding and guidance. The Ethiopian eunuch, when reading Isaiah, recognized his need for someone to guide him in interpreting the text (Acts 8:31). However, this does not imply that Scripture is incomprehensible without an "authorized interpreter," as some have asserted. Rather, where the Gospel and apostolic epistles are available, matters concerning salvation can be clearly understood by those who are simple and upright [9].
The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in enabling human understanding of divine truths. Paul writes that believers speak "the things freely given to us of God," which are taught by the Spirit [11]. This involves "comparing spiritual things with spiritual," which some interpret as expounding Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture by comparing it with the Gospel revealed by the same Spirit, or illustrating Gospel mysteries by comparing them with Old Testament types [11].
Even when inspired, human communication of divine truths can be challenging. For instance, the concept of speaking in "unknown tongues" in 1 Corinthians 14 presents difficulties for interpretation. It is unlikely that the Holy Spirit would inspire someone to speak in a foreign language that no one in the church understood, preventing others from profiting from the teaching [10]. Dr. Lightfoot suggests that "unknown tongue" might refer to Hebrew, which would have been less accessible to some congregations [10].
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Gebal — bound; limit”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
- Job “Job 11:7 (BSB) — Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?”
- Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 7:24 (LEB) — ⌞Whatever is—it is far beyond comprehension⌟. Who can discover it?”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 119:96: 119:96 Even perfection has its limits: Humans cannot fully understand God’s ways (see Eccl 3:11).”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 28:13: 28:13 one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there: The Hebrew here is difficult to understand. The words might be intentional nonsense to illustrate the point that the people were so spiritually blind that God’s clearest revelation was nonsense to them (see 6:9-10).”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 8:2: 8:2 to prove your character (literally to know what is in your heart): God already knew the Israelites’ innermost thoughts (Pss 51:6; 139:1, 4, 23); he wanted their character to come out in their actions. • to find out whether: The Old Testament often describes God in human terms, even in ways that appear to limit God. Anthropomorphism (assigning human characteristics to God) and anthropopathism (assigning human feelings or emotions to God) are ways of representing God on a human level so the human mind can better grasp his ways, but God is not limited in his ”
- Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 38:4: To understand the cause of things, man should have been present at their origin. The finite creature cannot fathom the infinite wisdom of the Creator (Job 28:12; Job 15:7-8). hast--"knowest." understanding-- (Pro 4:1).”
- Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 8:31: How can I, except some man should guide me? - This is no proof that "the Scriptures cannot be understood without an authorized interpreter," as some of the papistical writers assert. How could the eunuch know any thing of the Gospel dispensation, to which this scripture referred? That dispensation had not yet been proclaimed to him; he knew nothing about Jesus. But where that dispensation has been published, where the four Gospels and the apostolic epistles are at hand, every thing relative to the salvation of the soul may be clearly apprehended by any simple, upright”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 14:2: For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue - This chapter is crowded with difficulties. It is not likely that the Holy Spirit should, in the church, suddenly inspire a man with the knowledge of some foreign language, which none in the church understood but himself; and lead him to treat the mysteries of Christianity in that language, though none in the place could profit by his teaching. Dr. Lightfoot's mode of reconciling these difficulties is the most likely I have met with. He supposes that by the unknown tongue the Hebrew is meant, and that God restored th”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:13: also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (Co1 2:12). which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit" simply, without "Holy." comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [GROTIUS]; and conversely illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with the Old Testament types [CHRYSOSTOM]. So the Greek word is translated, "comparing" (Co2 10:”